cockles The other night my friend Ben took me to a new hidden little Makgeolli place that I didn't know before. It is hidden in the basement along Insadong Street And it has Makgeolli (Korean Rice Wine) and well prepared Korean Anju (pub food).  The food and Makgeolli are not as good as my favorite Makgeolli places such as Pub of the Blue Star, H-Makgeolli or Chin Chin- but I feel that makgeolli food should be rustic. Also, the price is quite high for what you get (Jeons start at 15,000 and Makgeolli starts at 5,000 a bottle for Seoul Makgeolli). The service is alright but nothing to write home about so... why should you go there? The atmosphere of the place and the vibe is cool. The place has a hipster feel to it and even the name, Yeojaman is a play on words. Yeoja is girl and man is only, so..".Women Only." But it could also be seen as girl/man (Korean for girl plus Man). It's witty and funny and the place has a whole tongue-cheek feel to it. We want...

Nampo Myeonok for Naengmyeon in Seoul Nampo Myeonok for Naengmyeon in Seoul Nampo Myeonok for Naengmyeon in Seoul Nampo Myeonok for Naengmyeon in Seoul It's hot, so it is best to get some cool, chilled Naengmyeon at the classic Nampo Myeonok Restaurant by City Hall. Pictures by Jihyun Lee Seoul Eats: Nampomyeonok Contrary to popular belief, Korean “naengmyeon” is a wintertime specialty dish that originated in North Korea. I guess the idea of combating cold with cold is similar to people in India drinking blazing hot coffee to fight the heat. Although some still eat naengmyeon-which translates to “cold noodle”- in winter; these days it is more common to eat it in summer cool down from the heat Naengmyeon has become ubiquitous around Korea and the world. The standard seems to be a brown chewy noodle that's dense (and often clumps), a salty beef broth, half an egg (which you are supposed to eat first to prepare your stomach for the cold meal), turnip, ch...

I had dinner at Piece Nord which is a Nouvelle Chinese place that just opened on the 1st floor of the Best Western in City Hall. Oh and for my western readers, the Best Western is a decent hotel in Seoul and a fairly respected business hotel.  The setting is quite modern and elegant. Nothing special but nothing offensive. Service was polite but quiet for dinner service. I am not a person that will pay a lot for fusion Chinese food but my foodie friend insisted.  The appetizer was an elegant bento with flavorful jellyfish, pungent tofu, a fresh slice of yellowtail and a piece of steamed chicken. All a minute yet flavorful bite.  First course was a lime stir-fried scallop and squid dish and it demonstrated that their chef had skill. Wow. The scallop were juicy and cooked just right so the flavor resonated at each bite. Squid was soft -not rubbery and the lime spark was much appreciated. What I loved most were the red turnip that were cooked so they ha...

Pro-soy Crab in Sinsadong One of the better meals that I have had this year has been at Pro-kanjang Gyejang. This place specializes in soy-sauce marinated crab. This dish is a delicacy in Korean culture and some might (I heard that Chef Pierre Gagnaire didn't care for this dish). This is a dish that most people can only have at certain times of the year and winter is the best time for the crabs gorge themselves on food to get ready for mating season. What sets Pro-kanjang gyejang apart from other places that the crab is delicate in texture yet not overpowering in flavor. Some of the places that make this dish make the dish too salty and it requires several bowls of rice in order to eat it. Here the crabs are full of flavor and yet subtle enough that you can eat a whole plate of them without any rice at all. They are simply addictive. I was lucky enough to follow Chef Andreas of the JW Marriot Hotel to Prosoycrab. He was doing a shoot for a German Television Show and I wa...

I just visited Libertine Bar and Restaurant in Itaewon. I had been meaning to visit there for ages but work and married life got in the way. (Wifey, that's not what I meant. I have been meaning to bring you here, girl.)  I decided to pick it for our restaurant's (Brew 3.14) Christmas dinner because I wanted to thank them all for their hard work.  The restaurant has a modern French Bistro feel that is opulent because of the high ceilings, good lighting, and lots of space. I was quite impressed because space comes at a premium in Korea, especially in high rent areas like Itaewon.  We started with a bottle of the Pascual Toro Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 (49,000). It was a nice mellow Cabernet with nice cherry and plum accents. To start we had the spinach and artichoke dip. Good stuff with lots of flavorful cheese in a thick bechemel. I was surprised with the amount of artichoke in it. The pita that it came with was fresh and thick. I wish I had more of i...

When I have the time and make it into Itaewon to handout, it usually involves drinking, eating, drinking and then kebabs. Sunday night had kebab at two places: Pasha and Anakara Picnic (I had not been in Itaewon in a while so i decided to indulge. I guess you could say it is one of my last indulgences because I really have to go on a diet soon according to my doctor, but that is a story for another time. Anyway, the kebabs.  At Pasha, I had the chicken and it was good. veggies were crispy. I thought the chicken was well spiced but a tad on the dry side. The yogurt sauce at Anakara picnic is better in my opinion.  At Anakara Picnic, I had the lamb kebab. It was great. The lamb was moist and flavorful. I really like the veggie medley and pickles at Anakara. I think it just seems fresher. Also the sauce has a bit more lemon tang.  Ok, so the other places I love in Itaewon is Sultan Kebab and Mr. Kebab. Sultan is the original and still one the best. Mr. Kebab is good if none ...

There is no shortage of "gourmet" burger joints in Korea. However few truly live up to the bill. Left Coast was inspired by California, USA to make Asian-inspired soul food.  They have surprisingly gourmet accompaniments to their burgers such as homemade tater tots, kalbi fries (Korean short rib fries) and mac and cheese (mmm...mac'n cheese). On the burger front, they have three different types which are all made from freshly ground beef, handmade sauces, and served on their own homemade buns.  The tangy and robust John Wayne Burger topped with melted sharp cheddar and crunchy onion rings is a taste of the American west. My favorite was the Juicy Lucy: a burger stuffed with American Cheese and cooked till the cheese is oozy. For those looking for something a little different, I would recommend getting the Little Piggy Bao Bun which has uber-savory pork belly topped with a sweet, tart sauce and a vinegary Asian slaw. The space is clean and slick and the open kitchen elevat...

The idea that a decent non-Korean restaurant to exist on the traditional area of Insadong seems like a paradox. You go to Insadong to eat Korean food after all. There is a terrible Indian place on the main drag which I despise to this day. It is the worst. Anyway... Recently Indoro restaurant has opened near the main drag down from McDonalds.  The place has a modern, festive interior and it offers a sanctuary in its 2nd floor local. The festa colored tables go with the Indian music and the Bollywood videos playing.  The menu is extensive and moderately priced. You can get a palak paneer for 12,000 won or a lamb vindaloo for 15,000 won.  The last time I came, I thought the dishes to be flavorful but a bit salty. So how was it this time?  Very good and well balance.  My wife and I ordered the Vegetable Thali for 14,000 won and a Mutton Rogan Josh for 15,000 won. The vegetable had 3 different curries, a naan, a roti, rice and mango chutney. Surprisingly, all were t...

Oh, Korea, you know that I love you. I love the down-home, authentic Korean food you serve. I love how you will share the whole gamut of flavors and cooking techniques in a single meal.  When you make Korean Food.  Yeah. Korean food in Korea is great. I mean really great. Sometimes other cuisines, not so much.  Korea, I would like to talk about the abomination of the meal that I had at Kofoo food. I should have suspected it as going to be bad when I discovered that the name of the place meant, "Korean Food" yet they served Italian. Korea, I would also like to state that I wanted to eat soup and rice like a good Korean, but my wife wanted Italian (in retrospect, I will try to make the dish at home because I don't need to pay 20,000 for a pasta unless it is fresh made and has gold flakes and stuff).  Anyway, so my wife ordered the vongole that was overly salty but did have nice clams (I think they over salted the water and then added more salt before service). I ordere...

Last night the wife and I went out to Itaewon for a date night. So we did a little food crawl through Itaewon. First stop was Hummus Kitchen. We planned on going to a few more places so we got their signature salad platter which was a gaudy 21,000 won.  It had a sampling of their signature dishes like Hummus, yogurt, falafel, and salad and (wtf) a peach-like chutney.  First of all the hummus was quite good: smooth and balanced with garlic and lemon.  Their spicy hummus was too spicy to enjoy the texture of the hummus. Their yogurt were thick and the falafel were amazing. I will have to come back to get a falafel in the future. This would been a great starter of it weren't for the salad. It was a green salad with balsamic dressing. It just didn't go with the dish. It was a bit overpowering. I mean a tabouli or a simple lemon and oil salad would have worked but the sticky sweet dressing didn't jive.  Also the chutney was too sweet. Finally pita were too small and thin ...

Churros are so hot right now. They are last season's Bubble Tea and the season's before's lemonade. They are essentially hotteok that is a stick that is easy to eat on the go. Churros will have a thousand copycats and only one or two will survive. The survivors might even franchise.  The guys at Street Churros have the stuff to make it and let me tell you why. They are: 1. Young and hungry 2. They understand social media 3. They differentiate enough to make themselves stand out.  4. They have good sauces 5. They seem to offer lots of free "service" but they aren't really.  Let me explain.  1. Being Young and hungry makes young people want to come. Most Koreans I know all dream of owning their own place and this is a way of living vicariously through others while secretly thinking of copying them and starting their own venture. Old people want to feel young so they will also stop in as well. Plus, in Korea, a crowd always draws a crowd.  2. Social media: They a...

I grew up in America and that means that I want my coffee early in the morning and not at 10am when it seems most Korean cafes like to open. I like to have my coffee a bit later on Sunday's but I still want it before 8am. Steamers Coffee Factory has very impressive facilities. They brag on their cup that they have : "2 Roasters, 3 Coffee machines, 3 coffee machines, and 8 Baristas." That's great but I don't know when you can get all that great coffee. Sorry but cafes should be reliable dispensaries of caffeine. Because, I need it! Argh!  Anyway, their coffee is robust and delicious. I mean really good and it should be at 8,000 won for a hand drip. The first day I just had an espresso and I have to admit it was one of the best ones I have had in a while. It had nice creama and balanced tannins; it reminded me of Portland. I went back and had an Americano and that was also great except for the leaky lid. That sorta pissed me off because the lid is one of those new f...

I was lucky enough to be invited to the South African restaurant Twiga by the owner. It is located behind the Crown Hotel and across from the Saudi Arabian Embassy. Located on the 5th floor, it doesn't seem like a restaurant at all but a dinner party at a friend's condo.  On the evening, we were greeted by the owner's very cute daughter who decided to sit at our table to play with her "My Little Pony" and draw. Normally, I would find this quite distracting but she was so cute that we didn't mind the entertainment.  The owner, Vanita, offered us menus and told us they were currently doing a bit of retooling. She said they were prepping brunch soon but for dinner she had some choice recommendations. We ordered the lamb chops that were topped with some micro greens and over risotto. The lamb chops were massive, juicy and grilled just right (27,000 won). The creamy risotto also went well with the dish and I enjoyed the bit of greenery on top for the dish was so ri...

As a food writer and restauranteur, the rise and fall of restaurants fascinate me. I can usually tell within a few visits if a restaurant will be successful or not. Most restaurants I see these days make fatal flaws that are hard to recover from. The biggest problem is usually rent and the startup costs which leaves nothing for operations afterwards. Concepts and Locations are also main factors. It seems like many restauranteurs have an "all in" plan and when customers call their bluff they quickly fold.  Fifty, 50, is located by Jongno 3ga exit 6 and it is on the main drag right in the heart of the tent dining district. They started as a dining lounge and dance club. This concept failed and after 2 months they reopened as a chicken and beer place featuring craft beer.  The problem is that they don't have craft beers on draft and their chicken is greasy and chips undercooked. Maybe it was because it wasn't busy, but when it isn't busy, shouldn't the cooks put ...

Peninsula Italian Restaurant at Lotte Hotel Osso Bucco over Saffron Risotto You must have pickles at Italian Restaurants in Korea Osso Bucco and Pumpkin Gnocchi are Top Notch! by Daniel Gray (Seouleats) The other day, my good friend and president of the company, Jia Choi said that every day seems to be a party. With many social functions and invitations to lunch, it seems that way. Recently, I was invited by Lotte Hotel to come visit their restaurants and give my thoughts on the food and service. So I went under the condition that I would be free to write whatever I liked. They encouraged me to be honest so I will. Since it is winter, I was in the mood for some good Italian food. Overall, I haven't been too impressed with many Italian places in Korea, but I figured that Lotte Hotel should be able to make something impressive- especially for the prices that they charge. The first thing I did was to call the restaurant to make a reservation. This was a tad frustrating since the perso...